


That Horizon

by Nefyr



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-29
Updated: 2012-07-29
Packaged: 2017-11-10 23:41:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/472020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nefyr/pseuds/Nefyr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elizabeth is marrying Will, Norrington is not pleased.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place immediately after the events of Curse of the Black Pearl.
> 
> Written in 2005. Meant to be the first chapter of what would eventually be Sparrington, but I abandoned it. It stands alone reasonably well though.

_"I think we can afford to give him one day's head start."_   
  
How wrong he was. For three weeks, the  _Dauntless_ had doggedly pursued the  _Pearl_ , who had lead the jewel of the British Royal Navy in a merry jig about the Caribbean. The newly appointed commodore had returned with a bruised ego and naught one pirate.  
  
And so Commodore James L. Norrington of Port Royale, hero of the battle of Isla de Muerta, partook in the most honorable and noble duty of...paperwork.  
  
An enthusiastic rapping at the door broke his concentration.  
  
"Come in." He didn't even bother to look up from the parchment, annoyed by the interruption.  
  
His office door opened, and he let a heavy sigh escape him, knowing what to expect. He should have a herald.  _"Governor Swann wishes to distress over yet another insignificant detail of the wedding."_   
  
"Morning, commodore!" the Governor exclaimed cheerily, inviting himself to sit, his outlandishly curled wig taking up more space than usual. He always forgot to knock.  
  
"Now, I was talking to Mrs. Keating, and we agreed that during the ceremony..."  
  
He fought the urge to sigh again. As Elizabeth's rejected suitor, he had no inclination to discuss the matter of her marrying William Turner, but the Governor and he were friends, so he tried to bear the man's relentless nervous prattle with as much dignity as possible.  
  
"...and there just aren't enough!"  
  
James could feel the beginnings of a headache.  
  
"Governor, if you're so anxious about what Elizabeth will think, then why don't you just ask  _her_ ?"  
  
"Oh. I'll...go do that, then. Good day." Governor Swann got up to leave, softly closing the door behind him.  
  
Thank heavens that was over.  
  
The commodore made one last valiant attempt at the paperwork in front of him, but what Admiral Quincy had to say just wasn't that interesting. Honestly, it was dreadfully boring. Perhaps a walk on the battlements and some fresh air would do him some good...

~*~*~

  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow stood at the helm of the  _Black Pearl_ , humming contentedly to himself. He had his ship, his health, and that mutinous bastard Barbossa had finally gotten what he deserved and had been sent down to see old Hobb.  
  
"Hmmmm, mmm mmmmm..."  
  
And now the horizon was the limit. Maybe he'd sail to Singapore again...aye, that'd be lovely...  
  
"Cap'n?"  
  
"Aye?" He turned his head around to meet his first mate's intense gaze.  
  
"We'll be comin' up on Tortuga 'afore noon."  
  
"Good, right on schedule."  
  
Anamaria cocked her head to one side, her eyes burrowing holes into Sparrow's skull.  
  
"An' why're we sailin' all the way back to Tortuga?"  
  
"Well now, I gotta 'ave me entrance." Jack's eyes glazed over, as if he could see the scene already. "I'll – no – We'll come sailin' in on the  _Pearl_ , in all 'er glory. All them scallywags'll be able t' see Captain Jack Sparrow, reunited with the  _Pearl_ , the pretty black gem she is. Aye, it'll be a sight t' remember.  
  
Anamaria sighed heavily. Jack always was one for theatrics.

~*~*~

  
  
The rabble of Tortuga was eager to celebrate Captain Jack Sparrow's return, which meant everyone was drunk before sunset.  
  
Jack sat in  _The Faithful Bride_ , experiencing the wonders of inebriation. The table to his left gave way as a man was hurled upon it. His assailant soon jumped on him, swinging his fists inaccurately. The same old Tortuga; always a drunken brawl under way.  
  
"Cap’n." Anamaria sat down opposite him. He hadn't seen her coming. Maybe he had had a bit too much rum. No, that couldn't be it. There was no such thing as too much rum.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"The mail's been dropped off at the  _Pearl_ . Though yeh'd want t' see this one 'afore yeh get back."  
  
She handed him an official-looking letter. He squinted in the low light to make out the text on the front of the envelope.  
  
"Port Royale. Looks serious. They thinkin' they can arrest me by post now?" Jack smirked, and gave his little joke a chuckle.  
  
"Open it."  
  
"Nah, not enough light. An' I think I'm a wee bit tipsy."  
  
"Then best we be gettin' y' back t' the Pearl."  
  
“I can manage all by me onesies; go and ‘ave a drink. It’ll do y’ good." The dark skinned woman nodded, and disappeared into the smoky haze of the tavern.

~*~*~

  
  
He lay in bed on the  _Pearl_ , his cabin lights still on. Jack preferred to sleep on his ship than at an inn. He stared at a corner of the ceiling, contemplating what he'd just read.  
  
Inside the envelope were two letters. One was a formal invitation to the wedding of "Miss Elizabeth Swann. and Mr. William Turner". The other, as was obvious from its flowery hand, was from Elizabeth, explaining how she wanted him at the wedding, and he was going to come, pirate or not, and "Father will take care of everything."  
  
_A wedding. I hope there's rum..._

~*~*~

  
  
"You want me to do  _what?!?_ " The commodore was livid.  
  
"Well, Elizabeth really wants it so. She's insistent."  
  
"I'd rather see Port Royale sacked than allow a pirate walk about openly without consequence. Governor, Elizabeth has gone too far this time."  
  
"I've told her so again and again; I'll try to go reason with her." He swooped out determinedly, shutting the door behind him none too gently.  
  
The commodore started to write the next sentence in his second attempt to reply to the admiral's letter, but his hand was shaking so much that large spots of ink blossomed on the parchment.  
  
"...Blast."  
  
_That blasted wedding._ He tore the parchment in half.  _Blasted Governor._ In quarters.  _Blasted Elizabeth._ In tiny pieces.  _Blasted pirate._ He chucked them into the waste bin, and kicked it for good measure. A swarm of paper shreds fluttered to the floor.  
  
" _BLAST!_ "

~*~*~

  
  
After a walk and a cup of tea, the commodore was taking another crack at a reply to that letter.  
  
The door to his office was almost blown off its hinges.  
  
"Commodore, I  _insist_ that you sign this  _at once!_ "  
  
Elizabeth Swan, in all her lovely rage, brandished the same offensive document the Governor had paraded in front of him not an hour before.  
  
"I've already given my answer, and I stand by it."  
  
The infuriated Elizabeth slammed his door so hard that a few books toppled off their shelves. He struggled to return her stubborn glare with something he hoped looked cold and absolute. However, it must not have been very convincing, because her expression softened as she approached his desk once more.  
  
"Would you do it...for me?"  
  
_Oh, no._   
  
A minute later and much batting of eyelashes, a triumphant Elizabeth emerged with a flowing signature on her precious document. Jack Sparrow would be traipsing around Port Royale for days, and there wasn't a thing James could do about it.  
  
_Blasted wedding, indeed._


End file.
